Historic preservation is on the agenda in Loch Arbour after the Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance last week that would make the entire village an historic district.
The ordinance, with a public hearing on March 8, seeks to promote historic preservation as an element in the village’s Master Plan. It would effect new buildings, substantial modifications, and demolition to existing buildings. The entire village, with 159 housing units and a handful of businesses, would be in the historic district under the proposed measure.
Commissioner Denis D’Angelo said earlier this week that there are many homes in the village that are more than 100 years old, with some dating back to the 19th century. He said homes can have a wide range of architectural styles and that the purpose of the ordinance is to preserve the historic character of the village.
“Some homes have a very eclectic style and I am not quite sure how I feel about the ordinance yet. I don’t want to create an ordinance that is a burden to the homeowner. We are in the process of looking at it and it is not a done deal yet. I want to have the residents weigh in on it,” he said. “I’ll see how the public hearing goes. I am not sure if I am for it or against it yet.”
The ordinance would establish a historic district and the guidelines to govern the historic district. It would also come up with procedures and guidelines to accomplish historic preservation without imposing undue hardships on residents in existing homes.
The Planning Board would have to issue a certificate of appropriateness in advance of any new building, substantial improvements, or demolition. It would also applies to any accessory building or garage. The certificate would be good for one year from the date it is issued but the Planning Board has the discretion to extend the deadline by up to two six-month extensions
As of 2010, Loch Arbour was the third-smallest municipality in New Jersey in terms of area and was the fifth-smallest municipality by population in New Jersey
